


Remember Me (Though I Have to Say Goodbye)

by Rai_Knightshade



Series: The Bradyverse [6]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Cooking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Light Angst, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:02:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22060759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rai_Knightshade/pseuds/Rai_Knightshade
Summary: Uncle Bozer and Arista are making some tamales to celebrate the new year, and learn some valuable life lessons while they're cooking.
Relationships: Wilt Bozer & Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Bradyverse [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561579
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Remember Me (Though I Have to Say Goodbye)

**Author's Note:**

> Just in time to finish off 2019 (at least for me it's only just after 8pm), it's time for some Uncle-Niece bonding over cooking. Content warning: this fic deals with the death of a parent and the grief associated with it, albeit lightly, but if that's a trigger or otherwise a sore spot for you I'd maybe skip this one, or have someone vet it first just in case. Otherwise, come join in the melancholy with me.
> 
> (Also I know the title is cliche AF but I couldn't think of anything better.)

"Ok Rissy, you've got your rubber gloves right?"

"Yup! Ready to take the chiles apart Uncle Bozer!"

Wilt Bozer nodded approvingly at his niece, holding out a chile pod. "Alrighty then, you remember how your Mamá showed you?" Young Arista Ramirez Macgyver-Dalton had to think back on that for a moment, finally nodding slowly.

"Yeah, you just gotta pull the stem off and scoop out the seeds. They spices are  _ muy caliente _ though and they'll hurt your hands, so you gotta wear gloves!" Rissy grinned, proud of herself for remembering her mother's cautionary words. Bozer grinned right back.

"Exactly! So let's get to work!" He said excitedly, pulling out his own chile. Together they pulled apart several chiles, putting each one into a saucepan with water that was already slowly heating. Once they had enough, Rissy went and washed her hands while Bozer turned up the heat until the chiles were simmering well. He washed his hands in the kitchen sink and was just drying them off when Arista came back in, an unexpectedly somber look on her face. Bozer looked at her with a concerned frown. "Hey, what's wrong little sister? The tamales are going well! We're following the recipe exactly, and with your memory they should end up almost just like your mom's."

The young girl's face crumpled as she ran to her uncle, burying her face in his stomach. He wrapped his arms around her as she started sobbing, and gently pulled her to the floor with him. They maneuvered until she was crying into his chest, curled up next to him on the kitchen floor. He rubbed her back soothingly, a terrible feeling in his chest as he realized what must have set her off.

They sat like that for several moments before Arista calmed down enough to speak. She pulled away from Bozer's chest with a sniffle and let him gently wipe her tears away.

"You wanna talk about it, kiddo?" Bozer asked softly. Rissy looked up at him with big green eyes.

"I just... I miss my _Mamá_ _and_ _Papí_ , Uncle Bozer. I love Papa and Daddy, I do, but..."

"But they're not the same."

"......No, they're not. ...Does that make me a bad daughter?

"No!" Bozer replied hastily. "No, honey, you're not a bad daughter for missing your Mamá and Papí, ok? Daddy Mac and Papa Jack know they're not the same as your biological parents, and they're not trying to be; they just want to love you, and hope you love them. That's all they need, and you've already given them that."

Arista looked at him sadly. "That doesn't make it hurt less."

"No... No it doesn't. Only time can do that, Rissy."

She looked down at her hands, melancholy. "I wish they were still here, ya know? Even if that would mean Daddy and Papa wouldn't be Daddy and Papa..."

"Hey," he replied, gently taking hold of Arista's chin and turning it up to him. "I know Mac and Jack love you more than the world, and don't regret adopting you for a moment, and I need you to know that too." When she nodded at his pointed look, Bozer continued. "But, between you and me? I think there's a part of them that misses them too, wishes you wouldn't have had to deal with that loss so early in life and that they wouldn't have lost two close friends. That being said... They're not fully gone, not really at least."

Rissy looked up, confused, new tears shining in her eyes. "What do you mean, Uncle Bozer?" He urged her up from her seat, standing up himself and gesturing around to the tamale ingredients and the chiles on the stove.

"You see this? This is how they're still here, in spirit. Whenever you make food from a recipe you've been given, like your mother's or your grandmother's or a friend's or whoever, part of them is with you in spirit as you cook and bake, helping you through it and strengthening your bond with them. So even if they're gone, they're never really gone, cause the memories and the recipes and the food itself is still here, with you." As he spoke he stirred the chiles, turning off the burner when the timer beeped. 

Arista pondered his words for several long moments, her expression clearing for the first time in several minutes. She looked back up at her uncle, a small, watery smile on her face. "I think I understand now, Uncle. But.... You might have to remind me again another day."

Bozer smiled sadly. "Yeah, grief's like that sometimes. But I'll remind you whenever you need me to, ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok. Now, do you think you wanna continue making the tamales, or would you rather not?" He held no judgement in his eyes, not wanting to put her through any extra pain.

However, Arista nodded firmly. "No, I wanna make the tamales for Brady and my Daddies." She paused for a second, then added softly, "but... Maybe we should take it slow."

"We can absolutely do that."

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna make your own tamales, here's the recipe I researched: [Tamale Recipe](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/34512/real-homemade-tamales/)  
> Fair warning I have no idea how good it is but hopefully it's pretty legit? Also now I wanna try tamales. 😉


End file.
